This Interesting Man

Chapter 20

Chapter 20: America

(In case you guys couldn't tell: I've made Tom as just a normal man, not a famous actor. I thought it would be simpler)

After you and Tom had landed, you two took a taxi to a small motel. Out of the window was a lovely view of the body of water named Lake Chelan, a mountain range and gorgeous sunset. You unpack with Tom, and jump on the comfy bed. Tom turns on the television and rests with you.  

"And now, Skins." the tv announcer said.

"Oh, I love this show!" you sit up.  

"Wait.." you say, as the show starts.

"Damn America! Taking our shows and re-making them!" you shout, laying back down next to Tom. You flip the channel and it was some sort of movie called Big Daddy. It was seven in the afternoon over in America, so it was about four in the afternoon at home. The fourth was tomorrow, and the actual display didn't start until ten. That means six in the morning usually, so about two hours less of sleep. Also, you'll be staying in America for thirteen days after. By that time you'd already be used to the time change. You take a short nap on Toms' arm and awake fifteen minutes later. Tom was out of the bed, and staring at the window.

"Tom?" you ask quietly. Tom looked over at you and smiled.

"Good to see you're awake, love!" he crawled on the bed and kissed you. You smile and wipe the sleep out of your eyes.

"Want to take a walk, darling?" he asked you. You nod your head and put your shoes back on and a jacket. He takes you to a small shack by the water side that looked like a snow cone in a paper bowl.  

"Good afternoon, how are you today?" a young, tanned women greeted you two.

"Just fine, and you?" you replied.

"Ah, are you visiting from the UK?" she asked with a smile, leaning on the front table and glancing at Tom.

"Yes we are, and let me say it is beautiful over here!" you smile at her.

"Yes, I love Lake Chelan this time of year.. So what can I get for you?" she asks, still looking at Tom.

"Oh..! Er..." you gaze at the menu pasted to the side of the shack.  

"And how are you today, sir?" you hear the young women ask Tom. He smiled politely and had a small conversation with her, in which you could tell the major flirting coming from the women's part.

"I would like watermelon kiwi, please." you say with a small tone of irritant in your trying-to-be-polite voice. She nodded and smiled then glanced at Tom again.

"And you, sir?" she bit her lower lip.

"Uh.. Strawberry and green apple please, miss." he said politely, taking out his wallet.

"Coming right up." she cast a flirtatious smile and turned to her inner workings.  

"She likes you.." you whisper to Tom.

"Yes, love, I could tell, now shush." Tom smiled.  

"Here you go miss.. And the strawberry and green apple for the lovely man." she put her hand around the whole cup in a way that forced Thomas to touch her hand in order to get his snow cone.

"How much will it be?" you ask flatly.

"Five dollars even." she said without looking at you. Tom handed her the money and grabbed his snow cone, smiling, and she gave him a quick wink. Then you grabbed Toms' arm and walked off. When you made sure she was out of earshot, you turn to Tom.

"That was adorable."

"What do you mean?"

"She was only like, fifteen and you're twenty-eight!" you laugh.

"Twenty-eight? I'm thirty-one..!" Tom looked at you strangely.

"You're thirty-one?" you ask, the smile dropping from your face.

"Yes, I thought you knew! We even celebrated my birthday.. Twice!" he held up two fingers. Your eyes widen and your mouth drops slightly open.

"Well.. You sure don't act like it.. You actually act like a six year old." you smile and grab his hands.

"Thanks, dear." Tom said sarcastically. You take a bite of your snow cone and sit down at a bench facing the water. Tom sits next to you, while groups of tanned people come walking by.  

"It must be very sunny over here.." you tell Tom.

"Oh yes, it is. I've visited here before and I got pretty dark."

"Tom! I can’t be out in the sun! My fragile white skin will burn!" you shout. Tom laughed.

"I'm sorry, love! Just put on sunscreen, dear." Tom took a bite of your snow cone. On this particular day it was sort of cloudy and slightly windy. Just like home. Some street urchins came about and gathered together across from you two. There were five of them, two women and three men, all wearing extravagant clothing. They looked more like the Romani in the Hunchback of Notre Dame film than modern street performers. Two of the men were holding trumpets, another man a guitar, and the two girls stood one holding two maracas, waiting for a few people to walk by. Once a group of about ten people headed their way, the two men started madly playing their trumpets. The two girls started belly dancing. The music sounded like it came from Mexico; with the beautiful guitar and beats from the maracas. Then the man with the guitar started speaking.

"I never really knew that she could dance like this!" he said, stroking some chords on the guitar, getting the attention of the passer-by's. Tom bolted up, smiling.

"I love this song!" he stated while the man kept on. One of the women stopped dancing and started singing.

"Oh baby, when you talk like that, you make a woman go mad!" you recognised it as Shakira's 'Hips Don't Lie' and you laughed. Tom forced you up, leaving the snow cones on the bench. He pulled out his wallet and placed twenty American dollars in the small basket the gypsy-like urchins had placed. Tom actually started dancing with the women. He had persuaded a couple of the group to join in with him, and with a matter of moments only two of the group were left, video taping. He grabbed your arm and pulled you into the dancing group.

It was simple, quirky things like this that made you love Tom so much. When the song had finished, everyone in the group had given money to the performers. Then Tom grabbed you, and dipped you low, holding you inches from the ground, and kissed you hard. The group, even the performers starting cheering. You feel yourself start glowing red, and you kiss him back. Then he helped you back up on your feet and smiled.

"That was a lot of fun man, thanks." a short-haired blond teen said to Tom. The group agreed. After they left, Tom turned to the urchins and thanked them.

"Oh no, thank you! That's the most fun we've seen in a while!" the guitarist said. The rest of the group agreed.

"And you helped us get a lot of money, thanks!" the singing women with a thick accent said. Tom bowed slightly and smiled at them all, bidding them a good day and happy fourth. You and Tom go back up to the motel and spend the rest of the day watching movies.